The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two

Last updated

The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two
BestofVMvol2.jpg
Greatest hits album by
Released9 March 1993
RecordedMostly 1984–1991
Genre Rock, rock & roll, folk rock, R&B, pop rock, blues
Length74:37
Label Polydor
Producer Van Morrison
Van Morrison chronology
Hymns to the Silence
(1991)
The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two
(1993)
Too Long in Exile
(1993)

The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison released in 1993.

Contents

Morrison chose the tracks for this album himself. It is mostly drawn from his work during 1984–1991. "Real Real Gone" from the 1990 album Enlightenment was the only song included that was a fairly successful single. The other songs were not well known except for among longtime fans. They were a good example of his more idiosyncratic material that had been prevalent during this period when his work was mostly about spiritual searches for fulfillment. But also included were a 1960s Them cover of John Lee Hooker's "Don't Look Back" and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" a Bob Dylan cover.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg link

Track listing

All songs written by Van Morrison except as indicated.

  1. "Real Real Gone" – 3:42
    from Enlightenment, 1990
  2. "When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God?" – 5:39
    from Avalon Sunset, 1989
  3. "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" (Traditional) – 4:27
    from Poetic Champions Compose, 1987
  4. "In the Garden" – 5:46
    from No Guru, No Method, No Teacher, 1986
  5. "A Sense of Wonder" – 7:12
    from A Sense of Wonder, 1985
  6. "I'll Tell Me Ma" (Traditional) – 2:31
    with The Chieftains
    from Irish Heartbeat, 1988
  7. "Coney Island" – 2:03
    from Avalon Sunset, 1989
  8. "Enlightenment" – 4:07
    from Enlightenment, 1990
  9. "Rave on, John Donne/Rave On, Part Two" (Live) – 9:17
    from Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast, 1984
  10. "Don't Look Back" (John Lee Hooker) – 3:20
    with Them
    from The Angry Young Them, 1965
  11. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (Bob Dylan) – 3:51
    with Them
    from Them Again, 1966
  12. "One Irish Rover" – 3:28
    from No Guru, No Method, No Teacher, 1986
  13. "The Mystery" – 5:17
    from Poetic Champions Compose, 1987
  14. "Hymns to the Silence" – 9:33
    from Hymns to the Silence, 1991
  15. "Evening Meditation" {instrumental} – 4:14
    from A Sense of Wonder, 1985

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Morrison</span> Northern Irish musician (born 1945)

Sir George Ivan Morrison, known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.

<i>Its Too Late to Stop Now</i> 1974 double live album by Van Morrison

It's Too Late to Stop Now is a 1974 live double album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It features performances that were recorded in concerts at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California, the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, and the Rainbow in London, during Morrison's three-month tour with his eleven-piece band, the Caledonia Soul Orchestra, from May to July 1973. Frequently named as one of the best live albums ever, It's Too Late to Stop Now was recorded during what has often been said to be the singer's greatest phase as a live performer.

<i>Inarticulate Speech of the Heart</i> 1983 studio album by Van Morrison

Inarticulate Speech of the Heart is the fourteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1983. Morrison said he arrived at the title from a Shavian saying: "that idea of communicating with as little articulation as possible, at the same time being emotionally articulate". As his last album for Warner Bros. Records, he decided to do an album which had more than the usual complement of instrumental tracks. As he explained in 1984, "Sometimes when I'm playing something, I'm just sort of humming along with it, and that's got a different vibration than an actual song. So the instrumentals just come from trying to get that form of expression, which is not the same as writing a song." Although not expanded upon, of note is that a special thanks is given to L. Ron Hubbard in the liner notes. The reissued and remastered version of the album contains alternative takes of "Cry for Home" and "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart No. 2".

<i>No Guru, No Method, No Teacher</i> 1986 studio album by Van Morrison

No Guru, No Method, No Teacher is the sixteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1986 on Mercury.

<i>Too Long in Exile</i> 1993 studio album by Van Morrison

Too Long in Exile is the twenty-second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. The album was produced by Morrison and draws on urban blues and soul jazz sounds, including collaborations with John Lee Hooker and Georgie Fame. Released in 1993 by Polydor Records, Too Long in Exile received positive reviews from most critics and reached #4 on the UK Albums Chart. It reached #29 in the US, Van Morrison's highest ranking since 1978's Wavelength (#28) and until 1999's Back on Top (#28).

<i>Avalon Sunset</i> 1989 studio album by Van Morrison

Avalon Sunset is the nineteenth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in 1989 by Mercury Records to both commercial and critical success. In 2008, Avalon Sunset was reissued and remastered, featuring an alternative take of "Whenever God Shines His Light", and a version of "When the Saints Go Marching In" with additional lyrics by Morrison.

<i>Hymns to the Silence</i> 1991 studio album by Van Morrison

Hymns to the Silence is the twenty-first studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was his first studio double album. Morrison recorded the album in 1990 in Beckington at Wool Hall Studios and in London at Townhouse and Westside Studios.

<i>The Philosophers Stone</i> (album) 1998 compilation album by Van Morrison

The Philosopher's Stone is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison released in 1998.

<i>Them Again</i> 1966 studio album by Them

Them Again is the second album by the Northern Irish band, Them, whose lead singer and songwriter was Van Morrison. The album was released by Decca Records in the UK on 21 January 1966 but it failed to chart. In the U.S. it was released in April 1966 where it peaked at #138 on the Billboard charts.

<i>The Best of Van Morrison</i> 1990 greatest hits album by Van Morrison

The Best of Van Morrison is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It compiles songs spanning 25 years of his recording career. Released in 1990 by Polydor Records, the album was a critical and commercial success, becoming one of the best-selling records of the 1990s and helping revive Morrison's mainstream popularity. Its success encouraged him to release a second and third greatest hits volume in 1993 and 2007, respectively. The album remains Morrison's best-seller.

<i>Van Morrison at the Movies – Soundtrack Hits</i> 2007 greatest hits album by Van Morrison

Van Morrison at the Movies – Soundtrack Hits is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 2007 comprising 19 songs as featured in various movies. The album was released on 12 February 2007 in the United Kingdom and 13 February 2007 in the United States. On the U.S. Billboard 200, the album debuted at No. 35, selling about 29,000 copies in its first week, The album also debuted at No. 17 on the UK Top 75 Album Charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupelo Honey (song)</span> 1972 single by Van Morrison

"Tupelo Honey" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and the title song from his 1971 album, Tupelo Honey. The title derives from an expensive, mild-tasting tupelo honey produced in the southeastern United States. Released as a single in 1972, it reached number 47 on the U.S. pop chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Real Gone</span> 1990 single by Van Morrison

"Real Real Gone" is a hit single written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1990 album Enlightenment. It has remained a popular live performance tune and Morrison has included it on the set lists at many of his concerts since releasing it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Morrison discography</span> Discography of Northern Irish singer Van Morrison

This is the discography of Northern Irish singer Van Morrison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whenever God Shines His Light</span> 1989 single by Van Morrison and Cliff Richard

"Whenever God Shines His Light" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and released on his 1989 album Avalon Sunset as a duet with Cliff Richard. Although the album was released in June 1989, this song was released as a single in November 1989 for the Christmas sales market. Morrison and Richard performed the duet on the British music chart television show, Top of the Pops. The single charted at No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 on the Irish Singles Chart. AllMusic critic Jason Ankeny describes it as a "standout opener" to Avalon Sunset. Critic Patrick Humphries describes it as "the most manifest example of Morrison's Christian commitment," claiming that although it "is not one of Morrison's most outstanding songs" it works as "a testament of faith".

<i>Van Morrison: The Concert</i> 1990 video by Van Morrison

Van Morrison: The Concert is the second video released by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, first released in 1990. Recorded in New York City the previous year, the concert featured two special guests and long-time friends Mose Allison and John Lee Hooker, each of whom performed some of their own songs. This video mainly consisted of Morrison's work from his last two albums; including four songs from both Avalon Sunset and Irish Heartbeat. The video also features jazz singer Georgie Fame on Hammond organ. Some reviewers have stated that Van Morrison was not in best shape during the concert, his voice was probably strained by a cold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enlightenment (Van Morrison song)</span> 1990 single by Van Morrison

"Enlightenment" is a single written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1990 album Enlightenment. The song was also included on the 1993 compilation album The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrying a Torch</span>

"Carrying a Torch" is a popular song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and released on his 1991 double album, Hymns to the Silence. It was also included on his 2015 album "Duets: Re-working the Catalogue" with Clare Teal.

<i>Duets: Re-working the Catalogue</i> 2015 studio album by Van Morrison

Duets: Re-working the Catalogue is the 35th studio album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, released on 13 March 2015 on RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music. Produced by Van Morrison along with Don Was and Bob Rock, it consists of previously recorded Morrison songs, reworked as duets. Collaborators include Bobby Womack, Steve Winwood, Mark Knopfler, Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Michael Bublé, Natalie Cole, George Benson, Gregory Porter, Clare Teal, P.J. Proby, Joss Stone, Georgie Fame, Mick Hucknall, Chris Farlowe, and Morrison’s daughter Shana Morrison. Morrison's first album for Sony, it entered the Top 10 in six countries, including the UK.

<i>Latest Record Project, Volume 1</i> 2021 studio album by Van Morrison

Latest Record Project, Volume 1 is the 42nd studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 7 May 2021 by Exile Productions and BMG. The 28-track album includes the songs "Why Are You on Facebook?", "They Own the Media" and "Western Man". Released as a 2-CD set and on triple vinyl, the album marked a return to the UK Top Ten for Morrison, making the 2020s the fourth consecutive decade in which he has reached those heights. It was his first album in 25 years not to chart in Ireland.

References

  1. "Australiancharts.com – Van Morrison – The Best Of Van Morrison Volume Two". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  2. "Dutchcharts.nl – Van Morrison – The Best Of Van Morrison Volume Two" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  3. "Charts.nz – Van Morrison – The Best Of Van Morrison Volume Two". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  4. "Top Selling Albums of 1993 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved 3 November 2021.